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At the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen, ten heraldic beasts stood guard. The Queen’s Beasts, sculpted by James Woodford RA for the coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey in 1953, stand six feet tall. The heraldic creatures symbolized the various strands of royal ancestry brought together in a young woman about to be crowned queen. Each proud beast, used as a heraldic badge by generations that went before her, was inspired by the King’s Beasts of Henry VIII that still line the bridge over the moat at his Hampton Court Palace.

Today, The Queen’s Beasts can be found at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, while Portland stone replicas, also carved by James Woodford, watch over Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom. But these mythical, ancient creatures such as the lion, griffin, falcon, bull, yale, greyhound, dragon, unicorn and horse have gone on to inspire the highly-praised new talent, Royal Mint Coin Designer Jody Clark.

The Celtic dragon represents sovereignty and power. The Welsh dragon was used in the Royal Arms in the sixteenth century and the Red Dragon of Cadwallader is the emblem on the national flag of Wales. The red dragon gained popularity due to it supposed link of being the battle standard of King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders. Its association with these leaders along with other evidence from archeology, literature, and documentary history led many to suppose that it evolved from an earlier Romano-British national symbol. During the reigns of the Tudor monarchs, the red dragon was used as a supporter in the English Crown's coat of arms.

One of the oldest institutions in the world, the Royal Mint began producing coins for England, and eventually Great Britain, more than 1,100 years ago. The mint also produces and exports coins for other countries, as well as military medals, and other products for the British government. The Royal Mint has been witness to the legendary kings and queens, political upheavals, social and governmental progress, and scientific and technological breakthroughs.

The minting of coins began in England around the end of the second century B.C. Around A.D. 650, coins were made by craftsmen called “moneyers” in London. In 886, during the reign of Alfred the Great, the London Mint was designated to be a single institution, though there were many other mints in operation around this time. In 1279 the London Mint was moved to the Tower of London where it remained for the next 500 years. Famed physicist Sir Isaac Newton was the Warden of the Mint in 1696 and as such was responsible for investigating cases of counterfeiting. Three years later he was made Master of the Mint, until his death in 1727, and was responsible for moving England from the Silver standard to the Gold standard in 1717.

The Royal Mint had outgrown its home in the Tower of London so during the 18th century the rickety wooden shacks the mint occupied were rebuilt to accommodate mechanized and rolling mills and coining presses and provide more space. Soon, however, the mint outgrew this new location and in 1809, the mint moved from the Tower of London to an adjacent site in East Smithfield called Tower Hill. By 1899, the Royal Mint was striking 100 million coins a year.

In 1967 it was announced that mint would move from its location at Tower Hill to Llantrisant, Wales, following Parliament’s decision to decimalize currency and in 1968 the first coins were officially struck by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the new location in Wales. In 1986, the Royal Mint celebrated 11 centuries of continuous minting. In 2009, the Royal Mint was vested into a government-owned company to provide greater operating and commercial freedom.

One unique aspect of the Royal Mint is a procedure known as the Trial of the Pyx, dates back to 1282 and ensures newly-minted coins meet required government standards. The trials have been held once a each year since their inception and have changed very little over time. These trials are presided over by a judge with a jury of expert assayers and were held at the Palace of Westminster before they were moved to the modern-day site at the Hall of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. The ceremony was so named after the boxwood chest in which coins were placed for presentation to the jury.

Queen's Beasts Dragon Gold Coins Honors Sovereignty and Power

The Red Dragon represents power and sovereignty. In history, there is a link between the red dragon and that of King Arthur and other famous warriors for their fierceness and popularity. The Dragon quickly evolved into a national symbol through the fearlessness and determination of the mythical creature. The heraldic red dragon is depicted on the new Queen's Beasts Gold coins as a symbol of England's place on the national stage. Buy the 1 oz Queen's Beasts Dragon coins from APMEX at competitive prices.

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The Queen's Beasts Coin Minted in .9999 Fine Gold

This new exclusive Gold coin from The Royal Mint is struck in high quality. Minted in .9999 fine Gold, this is the third in the series of the Queen's Beasts. There are very few bullion coins minted in .9999 fine Gold. This ensures you have great quality bullion coin, adding value to your portfolio. Buy Queen's Beasts Gold Dragon Coins from APMEX today at competitive prices.

Wonderful 1 oz gold coin in this Queen's Beast series! My favourite of the series so far - I had to buy this 1 oz gold coin!
With striking features in lustrous real gold, this Welsh Dragon is sure to elicit delight and awe! Fantastic coin from the British Royal Mint! More please!

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